Colleton County, behind the double-barreled running of senior quarterback Kevin Adams and junior tailback Eric Kirkland, handed West Ashley its seventh straight loss --a 28-27 decision Friday night at Wildcat Stadium.

Kirkland led the way with 162 yards on 31 carries and a touchdown, while Adams added 136 yards on 23 carries and 3 TDs for the Cougars (3-7, 1-2 Regional 8-AAAA).

It was the Wildcats (3-7, 0-5) who got on the board first as Rodney Scott capped a short 60-yard drive in 4 plays with a 21 yard run with 9:24 left in the first quarter to give West Ashley a 7-0 lead.

The Wildcats kept that lead until late in the first quarter when Adams scored from 11 yards to tie it at 7.

After a Wildcats fumble on their next possession gave the Cougars the ball at the West Ashley 27, Adams scored on an option keeper from a yard out six plays later to make it a 14-7 game.

Late in the half, the Cougars scored again with Adams doing the honor for the third straight time. The score came from 18 yards out to give Colleton County a 21-7 lead at the half.

Cougars coach Leroy Riley liked what he saw of his defense, which was missing five starters.

"We always count on our defense to keep it close," said Riley. "We knew if we let them eat up the clock that we would be in trouble."

West Ashley scored on its first possession of the second half when Scott scored his second TD of the night -- a one yard plunge, to make it 21-14.

However, Colleton County answered with Kirkland's lone TD from a yard out to put the Cougars back up by two scores.

But the Wildcats were not finished. Cohen hit senior Preston Bibler for a 7-yard score at the end of third quarter to make it 28-21, and early in the fourth quarter, the Cougars attempted a reverse that was fumbled.

Senior Kerry Frazier picked it up for the Wildcats and returned it 47 yards to the Cougars 7. From there, Cohen hit Bibler again from 8 yards to make it 28-27.

At that point, Wildcats coach Bobby Marion lined up in a spread formation to kick the extra point. With the majority of the offensive line split wide left, Patrick Adkins' attempt was blocked.

Marion refused to blame the loss on the blocked kick.

"On the extra point before that, they had three guys come in untouched, so I wanted to try a different look," said Marion. "Their running game beat us, not that one play."

The Wildcats did not threaten the rest of the way.

Marion's team has now dropped seven in a row after starting the season 3-0.

But there is no quit in his team, says Marion.

"We still fight every week. We just have to find ways to get stops on defense."

West Ashley has given up at least 28 points in all seven of its losses.

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